Harvesting and storing onions – the right harvest time

The time of harvest depends on whether the onions have been sown or set, whether they are summer or autumn onions and which variety has been selected. It can be safely assumed that onions set in spring can be harvested from the end of July, usually from August. Onions set in autumn that have been able to develop longer are more likely to ripen, as early as the end of June. Seed onions ripen about a month earlier, sometimes 6 weeks, regardless of whether they were sown in spring or late summer.

• Can be harvested depending on when sown or when the onions were planted.
• Onions set in the ground in spring, between March and April, are harvested around the end of July to September, depending on the variety
• With onions set in autumn, between September and October, the harvest takes place around the end of June.
• Seed onions sown in March / April ripen from August to September.
• Seed onions sown in August are harvested from June to July of the following year.
• The time of harvest can be recognized by the fact that at least a third of the leaves have yellowed and the other one no longer looks really good either.
• Clearing too early leads to poor storability.
• Clearing up too late can lead to the husks falling off and to earlier sprouting.

The onion harvest

Onions start preparing for winter in the hottest part of the year, midsummer. The nutrients from the leaves are stored in the tuber. As a result, the leaves turn yellow, fall over and simply no longer look healthy. This process starts from the top of the leaves. If you like, you can help a little and loosen and lift the onions in the ground with the digging fork. The roots should no longer be firmly anchored in the ground. They stop growing and deprive the foliage of all nutrients.

It used to be common for foliage to be kicked over or even torn off. Today we know better. This process makes it easier for pathogens to penetrate and also stimulates the onion to sprout again. That is not wanted at all. The result is that the onion is more prone to rot during storage.

The right date for the harvest is when the onion leaves are no longer upright, but are lying and to a large extent have dried out. Ideally, harvest is done in a dry period. Then the onions should dry out in the open for another two weeks.

• Harvest during a period of good weather, otherwise there is a high risk that the damp onions will rot
• When the weather is nice, spread the onions out on the bed and let them dry.
• Remove earth residues and loose shells
• Turn the onions every two days
• Bring it into the house after 10 days at the latest, but continue drying
• Either you bundle the onions together or tie them into braids. They are hung in an airy, but absolutely rain-proof place so that they can continue to dry.
• In bad weather, the bulbs cannot be left in the garden. Then it is advisable to spread them out in a covered area, preferably in fruit boxes, as these can be stacked and still get air to the onions. When the weather is nice, the boxes can be placed in the sun.
• If you want to store the onions without leaves, turn off the leaves or simply cut the leaves about five centimeters above the onion neck.
• Alternatively, the onions, freed from the foliage, can be laid out in large wooden boxes, where they can be stored for several weeks.

Store onions

Storing onions is actually not difficult when the conditions are right. The optimal storage temperature is 1 ° C with 70% humidity. These conditions are hardly ever given. As a rule, it is sufficient to store the onions in a cool, dark and dry place, then they will keep for up to six months. It is important that onions are not stored together with fruit. This has a negative effect on the shelf life. The shelf life depends on a number of factors, the soil, the type of onion, the fertilization and the weather. Onions from rainy years do not keep as well as from sunny years.

• The storage location must be dry and well ventilated
• No temperatures above 30 ° C
• Store only flawless, undamaged onions
• Better to store too warm than too cold
• If the storage location is light, the onions sprout faster. Green shoots develop that shoot up quickly. The strength and aroma of the tuber are transferred to this shoot, what remains is a shell that also collapses fairly quickly.
• Frequent repositioning drives the new shoots, so do not turn during the regular checks
• Too moist storage leads to rot very quickly.
• Check onions regularly so that changes are detected immediately.
• Sort out sick and rotting onions so that the pathogens or putrefactive agents cannot spread
• Never store onions in a bag. You sweat in it, become damp and rotten.

It is better to store it in a net, an airy basket or loosely in fruit crates. Onions lose their taste in the refrigerator.

Conclusion
Onions are delicious. I can’t even imagine cooking without onions. We consume loads of these healthy crops. The cultivation is quite straightforward. The harvest must be done at the right time, especially if you want to store the onions. It is actually easy to see when the tubers are ripe, even if you are growing onions for the first time. It is important to keep only the healthy onions. All specimens that are not in perfect condition have to be removed so that pathogens or putrefactive agents cannot spread. Hardly anyone has the ideal storage area with 1 ° C and 70% humidity in their home. Usually it is enough to store the onions in a cool, dark and dry place. They may not be kept for up to six months, but at least six weeks, and with a bit of luck, significantly longer.